State police fatally shoot man during drug raid in Orange

ORANGE — A 23-year-man suspected of selling oxycodone and Percocet was fatally gunned down by state police Wednesday morning as they attempted to search his Mechanic Street apartment.

The man — whom state police have not identified — was one of two people in the second-floor apartment at 18 Mechanic St. who were suspected of selling drugs.

The man allegedly confronted members of the Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations Team with a gun as they attempted to enter the apartment around 5 a.m.

A 25-year-old woman, who also lived in the apartment and is under investigation, suffered an eye injury in the incident and was being treated at a local hospital.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the troopers entered the apartment around 5 a.m. and the man confronted them with a firearm, prompting a trooper or troopers to fire their service weapons, according to David Procopio, state police spokesman.

“The State Police Detective Unit had intelligence that the male suspect had access to, and may use, firearms,” according to a statement from the state police. “As a result of that intelligence, the STOP Team was utilized for the entry.”

The man was given medical aid at the scene and was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The STOP Team was executing a search warrant in conjunction with a drug investigation being conducted by the State Police Detective Unit for Hampshire and Franklin counties.Investigators also found a second firearm inside the room where the suspect confronted the troopers, according to state police.

The apartment is being investigated as a crime scene, and the investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the state police and the Northwestern district attorney’s office. The district attorney will review the use of deadly force to determine if it was justified under law, according to state police.

No further information was available Wednesday.

Contact Donna Boynton at dboynton@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @DonnaBoyntonTG

Contact Donna Boynton at dboynton@telegram.com or follow her on Twitter @DonnaBoyntonTG

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